Poet and author Sylvia Plath wrote this line in her journal in 1952, when she was a 20-year-old student at Smith College. In those pages, she often explored questions of ambition, identity, and the pull between creativity and everyday life — themes that would later shape her poetry and prose, including “The Bell Jar” and “Ariel.” This reflection captures her desire to explore many possible versions of herself, trying on different lives as one tries on clothing to see which feels right. There’s a yearning in her voice but also a quiet hope that exploring different paths may lead to a more authentic and fulfilling life. For us, it’s a reminder that it’s okay not to have everything figured out and that trying new directions is part of discovering who we are, and what kind of life best honors that.

First Lady Abigail Adams and second U.S. President John Adams were the earliest occupants of the White House. From the start of their courtship until the end of their public service, the couple exchanged more than 1,100 letters. These historical documents verify that Abigail was her husband’s closest political adviser for decades. On November 27, 1775, while home with their children in Quincy, Massachusetts, she wrote to John in Philadelphia, where he and his fellow Second Continental Congress delegates were debating which principles should underpin the fledgling U.S. government. Given their formidable challenge, Abigail offered these words of advice, maintaining that haste rarely fosters meaningful solutions.